Self-inking stamp



NATHAN AMES, OF SAUGUS, MASSACHUSETTS.

S-ELF-INKING STAMP.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 14,548, dated April 1, 1856.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, NATHAN AMES, of Saugus, in the County of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Self-Inking Stamp and Printing- Press; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification.

The figure represents a perspective view of the machine, and is intended to be about as large as a stamp of the medium size. Preserving the same proportions, of course, the size of the machine may be varied, at pleasure, from the smallest stamp to a large card, or printing press.

A A, is the iron frame cast in one piece.

B, is the platen, or bed, on which the article to be stamped or printed, is placed, and is made of felt, leather, rubber, or other suitable material fastened on to the frame.

C, is a round shaft playingperpendicularly through a hole in the frame, A, A

D, is a wire spring, the lower end of which is bent at a right angle and passes through a hole in the frame; the upper end is also bent in like manner and passes through a hole in the upper end of the shaft, C; both holes being large enough to allow the wires to turn. The design of this spring is not only to raise the shaft, C, and keep it from turning, but also, by pushing obliquely against it, to counteract the pressure of the ink-roller Gr, when the latter is rolling over the back side of the type block E, thereby preventing considerable bind and friction which a spring, acting perpendicularly, would not.

E, is a block of wood or metal to the lower side of which the type, or printing surface is attached. The lower end of the shaft, C, enters a short distance into the block and is held fast by the set screw, F. The front and two sides of this block, may be of any desirable shape, and ornamented, the back side, however, should be smooth, straight and as wide as the roller, Gr, is long.

G, the inking roller, is made of wood, or metal, covered with porous leather (flesh side out) broad-cloth, composition, or other suitable material. Through the axis of this roller is a round hole, small at the y center and larger at the ends, so as to admit of its rocking a little, if necessary, and thereby conforming better to the surface of the type and back side of E, in case any part of the apparatus should happen not to be exactly true.

H, H, is a stiE wire, bent as seen in the figure, for carrying the roller, G, which is kept from flying off laterally `by means of a small pin or nut. The wire is first bent at a right angle, passed through the hole in the frame, A A, and then turned down as seen in the figure. s

I is a strong wire spring, shaped as seen in the figure, its lower end, bent at la right angle, passes through a hole in the frame; while by means of the fulcrum, J, its upper end is made to press, as much as desirable, on the wire H, H. As that part of H, where I rests upon it, moves but a little distance, it follows that a very equal pressure will be exerted on the roller, G.

Operation: As the shaft, C, is forced downward, whether by hand or otherwise, it is obvious that the roller, G, moving in the exact arc of a circle, and being acted upon by two forces, the perpendicular, (C),

and the diagonal, (H), will first roll over the printing surface, or bottom of the block, E, and then over the back side of E, which, if desirable, may be covered with cloth, or porous leather, to operate as a fountain.

The roller, G, being once properly saturated with good ink, will operate a long while without replenishing. When more ink is required, it may be put on to the back side of the block, E, and the shaft, C, be pressed down a few times, until the .ink becomes equally distributed over the surface of the roller. The roller may be made to make an entire revolution by pressing occasionally on the wire, H, so as to withdraw it from bearing on the block. Or, for a printing, or card press, where a greater supply of ink is required, another roller (or rollers) may be hung in the same mannerback of G, touching it, (Gr), but not the type. These rollers may also be made to receive ink from a tro-ugh or reservoir, when desirable, by methods similar to those in common use.

I consider the machine as peculiarly adapted for a self-inking hand stamp, but by enlarging it and applying power to the shaft, C, in any suitable manner, it may be made to operate equally Well as a printing press.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- In combination With the frame, A, `A, and shaft, C, the above described arrangement of devices by which the type or printing surface, is inked and the impression pro- 10 duced by one downward motion of the hand,

or other power, applied to the perpendicular shaft, C, the inking roller, Gr, (being acted upon by two forces, the perpendicu lar and diagonal, as described,) moving first over the bottom of the type block, E, and 15 then over the back side of the same.

NATHAN AMES. Witnesses:

D. A. Aims, GALEN COFFIN. 

